--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It empowers people,” one of the social…" description: "\"“It empowers people,” one of the social workers said about the personalized budget. “It gives choices. I think it can make a difference.” After decades..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/rutger-bregman-2463_spend-money_it-empowers-people-one-of-the-social-wor_1934198.jpg" --- # It empowers people,” one of the social workers said about… ![“It empowers people,” one of the social workers said about the personalized budget. “It gives choices. I think it can make a difference.” After decades of fruitless pushing, pulling, pampering, penalizing, prosecuting, and protecting, nine notorious vagrants had finally been brought in from the…” quote by Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/rutger-bregman-2463_spend-money_it-empowers-people-one-of-the-social-wor_1934198.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/rutger-bregman-2463_spend-money_it-empowers-people-one-of-the-social-wor_1934198.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/rutger-bregman-2463_spend-money_it-empowers-people-one-of-the-social-wor_1934198.jpg) > ““It empowers people,” one of the social workers said about the personalized budget. “It gives choices. I think it can make a difference.” After decades of fruitless pushing, pulling, pampering, penalizing, prosecuting, and protecting, nine notorious vagrants had finally been brought in from the streets. The cost? Some £50,000 a year, including the social workers’ wages. In other words, not only did the project help thirteen people, it also cut costs considerably.5 Even the Economist had to conclude that the “most efficient way to spend money on the homeless might be to give it to them.”” [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personalized budgets give homeless individuals agency and choice, leading to better outcomes and lower public costs. **In simple terms:** Giving money directly helps people and saves money. Key Takeaway Empower people with choice. Themes poverty reduction social policy empowerment Mood optimistic pragmatic Type policy analytical When to use this quote - homeless shelters - social services budgeting - policy pilots - community outreach Key Concepts behavioral economics welfare reform public finance Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure choices are truly accessible? - What safeguards prevent misuse? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic barriers that still limit effective use of funds. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Social Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-workers/) ## Related quotes > [I've never seen anyone handling pans in the streets of New York, and if I did I doubt I'd give them money, unless I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamish-linklater/i-ve-never-seen-anyone-handling-pans-in-the-streets-of-new-york-and/) [Hamish Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamish-linklater/) > [Have you ever noticed that the only metaphor we have in our public discourse for solving problems is to declare war on it? We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/have-you-ever-noticed-that-the-only-metaphor-we-have-in-our-public/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“Bburke used to, whenever he went to the city to catch a Yankees game, throw his money around to every homeless man on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-smith/bburke-used-to-whenever-he-went-to-the-city-to-catch-a-yankees-game/) [A.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-smith/) > [“Knowledge empowers people with our most powerful tool: the ability to think and decide. There is no power for change greater than a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-simon/knowledge-empowers-people-with-our-most-powerful-tool-the-ability-to/) Seymour Simon > [Striving to make music that empowers people as opposed to making them feel like they're being beaten down every single day is so important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-jane-grace/striving-to-make-music-that-empowers-people-as-opposed-to-making-them/) [Laura Jane Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-jane-grace/) > [The number one benefit of information technology is that it empowers people to do what they want to do. It lets people be creative.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/the-number-one-benefit-of-information-technology-is-that-it-empowers/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Each believer comes to understand his or her significance in relationship to the whole Body, and the conviction begins to take hold: “I carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-silk/each-believer-comes-to-understand-his-or-her-significance-in/) [Danny Silk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-silk/) > [Doing something that empowers people makes you realise how boring it would be to work for a place where the goal is just to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/doing-something-that-empowers-people-makes-you-realise-how-boring-it/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [Getting people into the wilderness for a transcendent experience empowers people for years, if not for their entire lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-george/getting-people-into-the-wilderness-for-a-transcendent-experience/) [Paul George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-george/) > [Knowledge empowers people. If people know the rules, and are sensitized by art, humor, and creativity, they are much more likely to accept change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antanas-mockus/knowledge-empowers-people-if-people-know-the-rules-and-are-sensitized/) Antanas Mockus > [A democracy can't succeed without people's participation. 'MyGov' empowers the people of India to contribute towards Surajya.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/a-democracy-can-t-succeed-without-people-s-participation-mygov/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [I dream of a Digital India where knowledge is strength - and empowers the People.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/i-dream-of-a-digital-india-where-knowledge-is-strength-and-empowers/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [“Businesses must view people not as resources but as sources.16 A resource is like a lump of coal; you use it and it’s gone.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-mackey/businesses-must-view-people-not-as-resources-but-as-sources-16-a/) John E. Mackey > [From my time in Health I know that choice empowers people lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hutton/from-my-time-in-health-i-know-that-choice-empowers-people-lives/) [John Hutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hutton/) > [The Internet empowers people to have a direct impact on an emergency situation on a global scale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tae-yoo/the-internet-empowers-people-to-have-a-direct-impact-on-an-emergency/) [Tae Yoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tae-yoo/) ## More by Rutger Bregman > [“If all the developed countries would let in just 3% more immigrants, the world’s poor would have $305 billion more to spend, say scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/if-all-the-developed-countries-would-let-in-just-3-more-immigrants/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“When Lehman Brothers collapsed on September 15, 2008, and inaugurated the biggest crisis since the 1930s, there were no real alternatives to hand. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/when-lehman-brothers-collapsed-on-september-15-2008-and-inaugurated/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [I think one of the most important facts of basic income would be that it's not only a redistribution of income, but also of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/i-think-one-of-the-most-important-facts-of-basic-income-would-be-that/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [The great thing about money is that people can use it to buy things they need instead of things self-appointed experts think they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-great-thing-about-money-is-that-people-can-use-it-to-buy-things/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“The idea that the GDP still serves as an accurate gauge of social welfare is one of the most widespread myths of our times.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-idea-that-the-gdp-still-serves-as-an-accurate-gauge-of-social/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Most of Mark Zuckerberg's income is just rent collected off the millions of picture and video posts that we give away daily for free.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/most-of-mark-zuckerberg-s-income-is-just-rent-collected-off-the/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“To calculate the GDP, numerous data points have to be linked together and hundreds of wholly subjective choices made regarding what to count and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/to-calculate-the-gdp-numerous-data-points-have-to-be-linked-together/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Countless studies have shown that people who work less are more satisfied with their lives.37 In a recent poll conducted among working women, German…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/countless-studies-have-shown-that-people-who-work-less-are-more/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Precisely when we should be shouldering the historic task of investing this rich, safe, and healthy existence with meaning, we’ve buried utopia instead. 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This is just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-bottom-line-is-that-wealth-can-be-concentrated-somewhere-but-that/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Recently, the International Monetary Fund published a report which revealed that too much inequality even inhibits economic growth.22 Perhaps the most fascinating finding, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/recently-the-international-monetary-fund-published-a-report-which/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Not coincidentally, the countries with the shortest workweeks also have the largest number of volunteers and the most social capital.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/not-coincidentally-the-countries-with-the-shortest-workweeks-also/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [It matters so much that from a very early age we encounter different kinds of different people, because that's what real life should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/it-matters-so-much-that-from-a-very-early-age-we-encounter-different/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) [Explore all 164 Rutger Bregman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## More Spend money quotes > [“Don't let someone spend money who never earned it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cole/don-t-let-someone-spend-money-who-never-earned-it/) [Nick Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cole/) > [“Stop spending money to be nominated for worthless awards with no substance and no worth to your career. If you have to spend money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-weisman/stop-spending-money-to-be-nominated-for-worthless-awards-with-no/) [Loren Weisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-weisman/) > [“Capitalist cycle of profit. The rancher sells a cow for profit. The butcher sells cuts for profit. The restaurant sells meals for profit. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/capitalist-cycle-of-profit-the-rancher-sells-a-cow-for-profit-the/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Any writer or journalist who wants to retain his integrity finds himself thwarted by the general drift of society rather than by active persecution.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/any-writer-or-journalist-who-wants-to-retain-his-integrity-finds/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [That's the biggest rule in Hollywood: Don't spend your own money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauly-shore/that-s-the-biggest-rule-in-hollywood-don-t-spend-your-own-money/) [Pauly Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauly-shore/) > [Everybody loves to spend money at least some of the time - because everybody loves the stuff you can buy with it. The key…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/everybody-loves-to-spend-money-at-least-some-of-the-time-because/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [Women spend the money of society on its goods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/women-spend-the-money-of-society-on-its-goods/) [Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/) > [“It still feels weird to spend money on Christmas trees. Back when Mom was alive, we’d go out “tree hunting.” That’s what she called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/it-still-feels-weird-to-spend-money-on-christmas-trees-back-when-mom/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [See I got em like 10 times, spend money got em like 10 times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/birdman/see-i-got-em-like-10-times-spend-money-got-em-like-10-times/) Birdman > [I mean, price is price. It's just where you want to spend your money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-walton/i-mean-price-is-price-it-s-just-where-you-want-to-spend-your-money/) [Rob Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-walton/) > ['Serial Mom' tested really well when we finally got with the right audience. But they would go to some shopping mall in a deep,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/serial-mom-tested-really-well-when-we-finally-got-with-the-right/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [I think when somebody goes to the movies and they spend their money and they take the girl out, the family, they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/i-think-when-somebody-goes-to-the-movies-and-they-spend-their-money/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [I would take one of 15 half-million-dollar cars I owned and go to the mall and spend that much money. Stupid, stupid stuff. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-storch/i-would-take-one-of-15-half-million-dollar-cars-i-owned-and-go-to-the/) [Scott Storch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-storch/) > [What's so dumb is that women are 50 per cent of the population, and they want to spend money to see movies where they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/what-s-so-dumb-is-that-women-are-50-per-cent-of-the-population-and/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [“Spend your money where you are appreciated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/spend-your-money-where-you-are-appreciated/) De philosopher DJ Kyos Browse all 532 Spend money quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It empowers people,” one of the social workers said about the personalized budget. “It gives choices. 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